Maple News reports that on June 12, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 3,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry system under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required in this draw was 529 — a notable drop of 18 points compared to the previous CEC round held on May 13, which invited only 500 candidates.
This latest round marks a significant expansion after a series of smaller CEC draws in recent weeks, signaling a strong effort by the Canadian government to boost permanent residency invitations under this program. The June 12 draw is the largest CEC-specific round in recent months and indicates a shift toward prioritizing candidates with Canadian work experience.
Following a focus on Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates earlier in June — where 125 ITAs were issued at a high CRS cutoff of 784 — this draw provides greater opportunities for CEC candidates who generally need fewer points to qualify.
So far in 2025, Canada has held a diverse mix of Express Entry draws, including:
– 10 PNP draws
– 5 CEC draws
– 3 draws for French-speaking candidates
– 1 draw targeting education sectors
– 2 draws focused on healthcare and social services
Looking back at 2024, IRCC conducted:
– 9 all-program draws
– 11 French language-specific draws
– Sector-specific draws targeting transport, agriculture, healthcare, STEM, and trades
– 14 PNP draws
– 10 CEC draws
In total, Canada issued 98,903 ITAs in 2024, compared to 110,266 in 2023 and a record-setting 114,431 in 2021 — the majority of which were CEC and PNP candidates.
The tie-breaking rule for this most recent draw was applied to candidates who submitted their Express Entry profiles before September 28, 2024, at 2:06 PM EST — meaning that only profiles created before that date were considered if multiple applicants had the minimum CRS of 529.
This draw marks the 21st round of invitations issued through Express Entry so far in 2025 and the 351st overall since the system was launched.
Invited candidates now have 60 days to submit their complete permanent residence applications. IRCC aims to process most of these applications within six months.
As Canada continues to rely on immigration to meet labor market needs, candidates with Canadian work experience remain well-positioned for future opportunities. Employers are also encouraged to leverage programs such as the Provincial Nominee Program or secure a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to bring in and retain global talent more effectively.